Zambia Independent Tabloid

  President Hakainde Hichilema’s instruction that soldiers must not harass miners raises deeper questions about military oversight, the allocation of gold-rich land and who will ultimately benefit from Kikonge’s mineral wealth. By Headlines in Zambia Investigations Desk MUFUMBWE, Zambia — August 8, 2026 President Hakainde Hichilema has warned soldiers deployed in Mufumbwe District against harassing miners, placing renewed attention on a gold-mining area that has experienced fatal accidents, violent confrontations, mass evictions and an expanding military presence. The warning, reported under the headline “HH warns soldiers: Don’t harass miners in Mufumbwe,” is more than a routine instruction to security personnel. It comes against the background of a struggle over access to Kikonge’s gold deposits involving local miners, cooperatives, state institutions, foreign nationals and a newly formed state-controlled mining company. Publicly accessible portions of the report indicate that H...